Cat Grooming Tips for a Shiny Soft Coat

Cats' fur acts as a layer of protection to their skin and regulates their body temperature. The condition of your cat's coat indicates its overall state of health. Helping your cat maintain a soft shiny coat keeps it looking and feeling good.

  1. Wellness Checkup

    • Feline wellness checkups are essential to your cat̵7;s health and appearance. Internal parasites and worms can take away vital nutrition from your pet, leaving its coat lacking necessary nutrients it needs to be soft and shiny. Skin mites and fleas in your cat̵7;s fur leave its coat full of excrement and dried skin. Provide your cat with the necessary supplements to correct and prevent these problems.

    Combing

    • Combing your cat's fur on a regular basis removes the dead hair and detangles it. It also helps distribute the natural oils throughout the coat and along the length of the individual hairs. Cat combs resemble human combs and are available from most department stores, discount retailers and pet stores. Flea combs feature tightly grouped metal bristles that pick out any bugs or organisms from the fur and rid it of most dander.

    Cleaning

    • You can use pet-specific shampoos and conditioners on your cat. These products include mild cleansers that won̵7;t harm the cat̵7;s skin or natural hair oil. Pet stores often have several types designed for general use or for specific pet hair types, including short, long and fine hair. Avoid using human shampoo as the harsh cleansers can dry out your cat̵7;s skin and leave its fur dry. You should only clean your cat periodically or when it gets excessively dirty. Use of an after bath spray may increase the coat's natural shine and seal the hair shaft. Apply these silicone-based products when the fur is still wet for best results.

    Diet

    • Your cat̵7;s diet is extremely important to the health of its body and fur coat. A quality cat food, balanced with vitamins and minerals along with the right combination proteins and fat allows provides the necessary nutrients the body needs to grow healthy fur. This balance allows for the proper production of essential hair oils to create a healthy shiny coat.